Parents, sect member sentenced in high-profile child marriage case

ISTANBUL

A shocking case of forced child marriage has led to the arrest of the victim's parents and the man she was made to marry, a sect member of a religious congregation affiliated with her father.

The victim, identified only as H.K.G., testified that her father, Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel, who served as the head of an İsmailağa Jamia-affiliated foundation, arranged her imam marriage when she was merely 6 years old in 2004.

The case came under public scrutiny following the first hearing on Jan. 30, with the sect member Kadir İstekli facing charges of "sexual abuse of a child" and "aggravated sexual assault."

In her lawsuit, H.K.G. revealed that her forced marriage to İstekli had been portrayed to her as "child's play." She further revealed that she had endured years of sexual assault as a young girl, only coming to terms with the traumatic experiences as an adult.

The victim's parents, Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel and Fatıma Gümüşel, faced charges of "aggravated sexual abuse of a child," as outlined in the indictment prepared by the chief public prosecutor's office.

Kadir İstekli received a 30-year prison sentence, while Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel and Fatıma Gümüşel were sentenced to 20 years and 16 years and eight months in prison, respectively.

The Hiranur Foundation, established by the father in 2006, operates in Istanbul and serves approximately 750 students in five private teaching institutions within its headquarters in Istanbul's Sancaktepe district. The foundation primarily focuses on Quranic education and Islamic studies.

Controversy arose when the initial hearing date was set for May 22 but public outcry ensued earlier when the story was published by daily BirGün in early December 2022. Subsequently, the court decided to expedite the proceedings, commencing the first hearing on Jan. 30.

The legal process experienced delays due to the resignation of Yusuf Ziya Gümüşel's previous attorney, which necessitated additional time for the new defense team to prepare their arguments.